TOYOTA PRIUS [merged threads]

**Mamar** · October 4th, 2006 11:07 PM

astig nyan ahh...! ang ganda nung dashboard at nung back view! pero hinde ko lang talaga trip ung walang mga gauges sa likod ng steering wheel!

**number001** · October 4th, 2006 11:19 PM

Based on the pictures, the test drive happened during the Toyota show. Question is, why didnt they offer this test drive to other people? Maybe if they offered a test drive then they wouldnt end up with a damaged Prius show car which got pinned by a steel beam from Milenyo's aftermath. :D

**alwayz_yummy** · October 4th, 2006 11:25 PM

di nga totoo yan???

natuhog ung prius??

**number001** · October 4th, 2006 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by alwayz_yummy

di nga totoo yan???

natuhog ung prius??

Yep, its true. Ask Carlo. He was the one who pointed it out originally.

Philippine Star Friday Sept 29. Le Pavilion was ruined by the typhoon and the Prius got caught in the middle. I still have the newspaper clipping with me.

**alwayz_yummy** · October 4th, 2006 11:46 PM

sayang naman.... baka pwede pa..uwi ko nalang..diba yan yun binigay kay gloria? malas naman..

pics?

**kyle618** · October 4th, 2006 11:50 PM

haha i saw that din... nagliparan un buong tent.

**russpogi** · October 5th, 2006 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by finchy18

...ang pogi pa nyan. formal ang dating..

Si Carlo kse ang "Papa" ng Tsikot.com eh!!!

Originally Posted by boybi

official motoring representative ng yehey.com si carlo, kaya walang magagawa ang toyota kung gusto nyang i-uwi ang prius

Yup!

Originally Posted by number001

Based on the pictures, the test drive happened during the Toyota show. Question is, why didnt they offer this test drive to other people? Maybe if they offered a test drive then they wouldnt end up with a damaged Prius show car which got pinned by a steel beam from Milenyo's aftermath. :D

Sir, actually the Prius test drive was only offered to media representatives initially. Di ko din alam kung kelan ito available for test drive for the general public. Sabi ko nga kung pwede yung friend ng media rep, sabi nung girl na taga-Toyota, hindi daw. Hehehe! Baka sakaling maka-lusot!

Originally Posted by number001

...Philippine Star Friday Sept 29. Le Pavilion was ruined by the typhoon and the Prius got caught in the middle. I still have the newspaper clipping with me.

WHAT?!!! Sayang naman!!!

**IMm29** · October 5th, 2006 09:50 AM

Ganda nga nung Prius ah. Too bad one got wasted by Milenyo.

Carlo,
Kamusta yung transition from battery to gas and back? Fuel consumption in Alabang-Zapote or EDSA environments would be more real world, and a better comparison to our rides

**Helios** · October 5th, 2006 01:29 PM

[QUOTE=carlocaraddict;660075]

sir C that passenger beside you looked like he's all wrapped up in plastic covering as well

kidding aside, how far can you drive with the electric engine if you just cruise under 45 kph until finally the petrol engine kicks in? I'm not familiar with hybrids pero how big was the battery and was there a separate battery to run all the electricals when running under petrol?

note aside, the car should generate enough electrostatic to electricute me since I always get a slight static discharge from the metal door of an ordinary gas car. I'll be scared stiff when rain pours and I've to drive through a small flood. Anyway I can always turn it off manually, right and switch to gas.

funny idea: dapat 3 ang setting ng Prius. electric, petrol, and pedal motor. Effective yan sa Pinas setting and for sure gas price buster yung last setting.

**niky** · October 5th, 2006 05:10 PM

Second Opinion:

After all the bad-mouthing I've given the Prius, I'm almost too ashamed to get behind the wheel to drive it. But, a free drive is a free drive, and what tsikoteer would pass up an opportunity to drive a new car?

The Prius isn't exactly drop-dead gorgeous, but it's understatedly handsome. And now that tall-cars are in vogue, it actually looks like a regular car! Inside, everything looks and feels ultra-modern, but the central touch-screen seems a bit too fragile for everyday use.

After fumbling with the starter and aircon, we're off. The ride is smooth and pleasant, not unlike a modern compact. The silent running and smooth acceleration and braking make the Prius feel like a mini-Camry, and the acceleration comes close to 2 liter territory when you floor the gas... 2 liter automatic, that is.

Don't expect any word from me on at-the-limit handling and tire-shredding ability. I'm not aching to be the first Filipino to wreck a 2 million peso plus hybrid!

The digital speedometer is large and easy to use, a far cry from the Vios' distorted, off-set display. The hybrid-drive screen is a cool toy to play with, but it's showing me that the gas engine is still on half the time. Well, we're packed in like sardines (three people out
back is one too many), the air conditioner is on full, and the battery was low when we started the car, so that's understandable.

Still, It's fun to try to keep the engine off, using very light pedal pressure and coasting when I can. Regenerative braking soon has the battery nearly charged, but the true acid test will be Metro traffic in 40 degree heat.

I'm still not blown away by the Prius, especially considering its astronomical price and dubious economic and ecological savings. But I'm intrigued by its technical savvy, and I look forward to a
Pagudpud-Sorsogon run in one.

Heck, I'll even pay for the gas.

-----

Sorry, late post.

RE: keeping the engine off

It's very hard to keep the Prius on electric alone if you're not used to it, but by the end of my loop, I'd found the exact right pedal pressure to keep the gas engine off (it's somewhere between a fraction of a millimeter and a fraction of an inch...

)... at least if you coast long distances, the battery recharges faster, but it's a limited range battery (see below)

RE: Battery only range:

The current estimated battery range of the Prius if your engine conks out (invariably due to some electronic glitch... the engine itself is reliable) is only about 3kms.... there are kits that extend that to 50kms of all-electric range... but, get this, they're about half-a-million pesos... in the US. Expect it to cost you nearly 600k to import them.

Stock Prius batteries are costly, too. At about 150k pesos a set. But Toyota's battery packs appear to be long-lived, although Toyota automatically buys back Priuses at a certain mileage "for research purposes", so maybe they're not letting them get old enough.

Even some "greenies" are starting to question the practicality and viability of the Prius, but from a technophile point of view, they're still ultra-cool.